Actor Vinay Pathak believes that the strongest creative collaborations are often rooted in something far simpler- friendship. Reflecting on his long-standing association with filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor, Pathak shares that their bond has been decades in the making. The two recently collaborated for the ZEE5 original Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a well-crafted and written murder mystery.
Vinay Pathak on working with friends
In an interview with Mid-day, Vinay spoke about working with good friend Rajat Kapoor who served as the writer-director of the latest release. “Sometimes we ponder together, sometimes we just question things together. The process has been tried and tested for the last 30 years—friends first and collaborators later,” he says, adding, “It has worked for us.”
That sense of camaraderie extends to actor Ranvir Shorey as well, though Pathak admits their friendship came later. “I introduced Ranvir to Rajat, and then they became friends too. We’ve all been close ever since,” he recalls.
For Pathak, working with friends brings an intangible advantage. “Doing everything with friends helps, even doing nothing. Just hanging out, sharing ideas, or sometimes not sharing anything at all… that also adds value,” he explains.
Vinay on shooting Everybody Loves Handa
One of the standout aspects of Everybody Loves Saurabh Handa is its chronological shooting style- something rarely seen in filmmaking. Pathak calls it a “privilege.”
“It makes life much simpler- not just for editors and technicians, but for actors too. Emotional continuity comes naturally when you shoot in sequence,” he says.
However, he is quick to point out why such an approach is uncommon. “From a production standpoint, it’s about logistics. If you have multiple scenes in one location, it’s more efficient to finish everything there at once rather than keep returning and resetting,” he explains.
The film’s structure also lends itself to introspection, particularly in a moment when the character played by Rajat Kapoor poses the question: Who would you want to be if not yourself?
Pathak admits he doesn’t have a straightforward answer to the question. “If you’re going to dream, dream big. There are so many personalities one admires—writers, poets, thinkers. But would you want to become them, or just have a conversation with them?” he muses.
Calling it a “psychological game,” he adds, “The grass is always greener on the other side. That’s why that moment works so well—it’s fun, almost like a game.”
OTT boom and new storytelling formats
With the film releasing on OTT, Pathak acknowledges how digital platforms have transformed opportunities across the industry.
“All new mediums have expanded opportunities- not just for actors but for everyone involved in filmmaking,” Vinay Pathak says, pointing out the growing demand for writers, technicians, and crew.
He also notes the rise of newer formats like vertical videos and micro-dramas. While he reveals his “heart sank” at first when he heard about the vertical format, as it would increase screen time on phones, he is also hopeful about the positives. “It may feel overwhelming, but it ultimately means more content and more work,” he says, comparing it to the evolution of journalism across platforms.
While mainstream cinema often leans towards formula-driven trends- be it action-heavy narratives or genre cycles- Pathak takes a balanced view. “I don’t think much about it,” he says candidly. “I believe all kinds of cinema should coexist. There’s space for everything.”
With the growing number of multiplexes and platforms, he sees no reason why diverse storytelling can’t thrive alongside commercial cinema.
